Why no WT. loss in stomach

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I have been on this diet for the last three months and I have lost 26 LBS. Most of my weight comes from my stomach and I'm not losing anything there of any consequence. I'm allowed 1500 calories a day and at the end of each day I always clock in with about 900 I know you are not supposed to do that but it doesn't bother me to do it. why isn't the weight coming off where I need it most, the gut. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Jerry

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  • Scottgriesser
    Scottgriesser Posts: 172 Member
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    I'm assuming you are male, apologies if not.

    Men tend to hold weight in their gut. It is the first to gain and last to go. It is just a thing we get to deal with. As mentioned "spot weight loss" isn't a thing. Can't do it. You could do a million crunches, run 1000 miles, and not eat a thing, and still have a belly until the rest of the fat is gone.

    I can't even pinch my legs or shoulders, but I can grab a handful of gut...it sucks...but it is what it is. Gotta lose the weight.

    If looks are your thing and not the numbers, then weight training would be a good idea. Focusing on your torso (chest/back/abs/ etc) will make that belly region look better regardless. However, I would not suggest weight training on a 900 calorie a day diet...
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
    edited February 2019
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    The way to lose the belly is to lose fat specifically and not just weight. At the deficit you are using, you are going to be losing a lot of both muscle and fat. I'm guessing you want your belly gone, but this isn't the best way.

    You can't spot reduce. If you want to lose fat specifically, the best way to do it is to train with weights and use a modest deficit. Be prepared to take your time.

    Also, in order to preserve muscle and have a higher ratio of fat/muscle loss, you are going to have to eat enough to fuel activity. When you eat in a deficit, your body is not efficient enough to lose just fat. It will burn muscle too. The smaller your deficit (closer to maintenance you are), the more efficient you'll be at keeping muscle - especially if you train.

    Do you have an idea of how much body fat (percentage) you want to be? If you do this aimlessly and with a huge deficit, you're most likely not going to like the results as much as you think.

  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
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    I am at maintenance after a large weight loss and I can tell you that some weight training is important. I lost some muscle while losing weight even though it took me 2 years to get to my goal weight. I wish I had been lifting while losing. It's harder to gain muscle than to maintain it. If you can even just do some body weight exercises it would be useful. Start small and work up. Walking and biking are excellent exercises to burn calories so congrats on doing that. As for the gut weight I too found it was the last thing to go. I lost everywhere else first and was beginning to think it would never come off. Hang in there and congratulations on the 26 pound loss that's awesome.
  • DaveScadlock
    DaveScadlock Posts: 27 Member
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    jsas3522 wrote: »
    I have been on this diet for the last three months and I have lost 26 LBS. Most of my weight comes from my stomach and I'm not losing anything there of any consequence. I'm allowed 1500 calories a day and at the end of each day I always clock in with about 900 I know you are not supposed to do that but it doesn't bother me to do it. why isn't the weight coming off where I need it most, the gut. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
    Jerry

    Jerry.....first things first, congratulations on the weight loss. Impressive! 900 calories isn't that much. Well rounded meals, and calorie intake is important. Use food to lose weight. But it has to be proper food. Next time you have a doctor appointment, consult with them and build a plan together.

    Now, the stomach flab......exercise. Whatever your exercise routine is, engage the core. What does this mean? Tuck your belly button as far in as you can. You can do this weightlifting, biking, walking, anything. Just engage the core. Just be reminded that this takes time. But it works.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
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    jsas3522 wrote: »
    I have been on this diet for the last three months and I have lost 26 LBS. Most of my weight comes from my stomach and I'm not losing anything there of any consequence. I'm allowed 1500 calories a day and at the end of each day I always clock in with about 900 I know you are not supposed to do that but it doesn't bother me to do it. why isn't the weight coming off where I need it most, the gut. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
    Jerry

    You are severely undereating. 900 calories a day is less than a toddler needs to maintain. Men should not go below 1500, women below 1200. You body might seem to be okay with less... until it isn't, and by then the damage might be done. You're setting yourself up for malnutrition, hair loss, brittle nails, bad skin, and muscle loss. Your heart is a muscle. Running such an aggressive deficit is almost certain to hurt you in the long run. You need to up your intake.
  • DaveScadlock
    DaveScadlock Posts: 27 Member
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    jsas3522 wrote: »
    Thank you, everyone, for your input I was always under the impression that the fewer calories I eat the faster the weight comes off I gave no thought about the body burning muscle first, I will try what everybody has suggested about increasing my calories, I'm limited as far as weight training goes but I do try to walk a lot and bike ride it's not as good of course but I don't have many options. Thanks again.

    Biking and walking is my choice of activity. I would encourage biking as a choice. For me, biking can be an activity where I burn a lot of calories, or leisurely, and still burning calories. Whatever your choice of activity, make it enjoyable so that you will want to continue to do it.
  • mmandpi
    mmandpi Posts: 5 Member
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    I totally agree with you Cheryl. The middle seems to be the last place even for women.
    Congrats, Jerry on the 26 lbs. A great accomplishment so far. Slow and steady is key. You will also benefit from resistance training. Have you tried resistance bands? Or figure 8 dance? Or there’s a CD with Jade. He’s into muscle squeezing. I too know the limitations from past injuries. Research some options. You might find something that works for your limitations.
    Good luck on your journey.